Abstract: A wireless network (100) includes a plurality of wireless stations (QSTAs) (102) and an access point (QAP) (101). The QAP, or one or more of the QSTAs, or both, measure delay data, or queue data, or both, per one or more traffic type. A network parameter of the QSTA or QAP can be adjusted based on the measured delay data, queue length, or both. A method of wireless communication is also described.

Abstract: A system and method is provided that resolves a possible ambiguity in WLAN measurement reports by having a measuring entity include timer values in returned measurement reports. The time a measurement was requested to be performed and the actual time it was done by a measuring entity can be compared by the receiver to ensure that no ambiguities occurred.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for providing a Quality of Service (QoS) service schedule and bandwidth allocation message to a wireless station in a wireless network. The apparatus of the invention comprises a hybrid coordinator that is capable of (1) creating a Quality of Service (QoS) service schedule and a bandwidth allocation message for a wireless station and (2) sending the QoS service schedule and the bandwidth allocation message to the wireless station. The wireless station is capable of using the scheduling information to perform power management by entering a power save mode during times when the hybrid coordinator has not scheduled any transmission opportunities.

Abstract: In order to reduce the average wait time, information regarding radar presence, a component of channel availability, may be obtained through an apparatus and method for determining available channels in a wireless network. This includes determining available channels in a wireless network by: receiving regulatory domain information within the wireless network; generating a report with at least one component corresponding to the regulatory domain information; transmitting the report; receiving the report at a STA; and determining whether a channel is available for transmission based, at least in part, on the component corresponding to said regulatory domain information contained in the report.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for measuring medium activity patterns in wireless networks and deriving information about the radio environment from the measured medium activity/patterns. This invention is three-fold. First, it defines what to measure, including medium idle/busy patterns based on power detection, medium idle/busy pattern based on preamble detection, and medium idle/busy pattern based on virtual sensing. Second, it provides a mechanism for communicating the measurement request and report, as illustration for the case of IEE 802.11. And last, it defines the information that can be derived given these measurements as discovery of: non-802 devices, 802.11e systems, 802.11e contention-based medium access priorities, 802.11e controlled medium access usage, 802.11b/g existence, and hidden stations.

Abstract: In order to better and more easily identify candidate APs and/or channels, an AP can transmit frames announcing its capabilities in a channel where it is not serving. For example, if an AP is operating in channel 1 and has created a Basic Service Set ID (BSSID) in that channel, it is permitted to transmit frames announcing its capabilities in another channel, for example channel 3, where another AP may or may not be operating.

Abstract: A distributed MAC protocol is provided that includes a superframe (102) having a slotted Beaconing Period (104) and a data transfer period (103). The provided superframe (102) comprises a plurality of medium access slots (107) and a plurality of medium access slots (107) is assigned to the slotted Beaconing Period (104). The Beaconing Period length (106) may be fixed or variable. The provided Beaconing protocol defines initializing an ad hoc network by means of starting (101) a Beaconing Period (104), joining an existing Beaconing Period (104) of ad hoc network and resolving collisions during the Beaconing Period.

Abstract: A wireless network (100) includes a plurality of wireless stations (QSTAs) (102) and an access point (QAP) (101). The QAP, or one or more of the QSTAs, or both, are adapted to measure delay data, or queue data, or both, per one or more traffic type. A method of wireless communication is also described.

Abstract: A plurality of methods, computer program product, and apparatus that use a lower 32 bit field of a 64-bit 802.11 TSF timer, so as to encode the reference time instant without the ambiguity as to whether there the reference time is referring to a future time or a past time. According to an aspect of the present invention, the fact that the low order 32 bits of the TSF timer wraps over in about 71 minutes is exploited to remove any ambiguity in the reference times contained in the Schedule Element frame. One method employs an algorithm base on distance between two reference points to determine whether the timer has wrapped around a time period, and another method uses a delay interval or a timeout to determine whether or not the TSF timer is wrapped or unwrapped. Another method includes determining whether an absolute value of X?O is less than, or greater than or equal to maximum value M/2.

Abstract: In order to reduce the average wait time, information regarding regulatory domain, a component of channel availability, may be obtained through an apparatus and method for transmitting within available channels in a wireless network. This includes determining available channels in a wireless network by: receiving regulatory domain information within the wireless network; generating a frame with at least one component corresponding to the regulatory domain information; transmitting the frame unsolicited by a beacon; receiving the report at a STA; and determining whether a channel is available for transmission based, at least in part, on the component corresponding to said regulatory domain information contained in the frame.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for switching at least one wireless node located within the coverage area of a basic-service set (BSS) or infrastructure-basic-service set (IBSS) in a wireless-local-area network (WLAN) from a first communication channel to a second communication channel. The method includes: determining whether the second communication channel to be used by at least one wireless node is needed; broadcasting by a source node a management frame to at least one of the wireless node when it is determined that the second communication channel is needed, the management frame including a channel-switch time and a second communication channel identifier; and switching, at least one wireless node receiving the management frame, from the first communication channel to a second communication channel within a countdown time corresponding to the channel switch time, wherein the channel-switch time is less than a beacon interval.

Abstract: A method of scheduling by a fraction of remaining time to be allocated over a remaining service interval, wherein with respect to a minimum of delay bound or a maximum service interval for a traffic stream, servicing first a particular stream “i” with the highest ratio of the remaining channel time to be allocated in a service period SP to the remaining time is to be serviced first before the service period SP elapses.

Abstract: A granted TxOP holder transmits the first frame of a QSTA-to-QSTA communication at a power level sufficient to ensure correct reception by the destination and at least detection by the HC, and then, with exceptions, transmits subsequent frames at a power level merely sufficient to ensure correct reception by the destination, regardless of reception or detection by the HC. Subsequent frames that must be received by the HC, such as those changing the TC queue size or requesting extension of the current TxOP, are transmitted at a power sufficient to ensure reception by the HC as well as the destination, as are the last frame(s). The HC is constrained from reclaiming the channel unconditionally merely because of failure to detect activity, and recovery is limited to the TxOP holder.

Abstract: A plurality of methods, computer program product, and apparatus that use a lower 32 bit field of a 64-bit 802.11 TSF timer, so as to encode the reference time instant without the ambiguity as to whether there the reference time is referring to a future time or a past time. According to an aspect of the present invention, the fact that the low order 32 bits of the TSF timer wraps over in about 71 minutes is exploited to remove any ambiguity in the reference times contained in the Schedule Element frame. One method employs an algorithm base on distance between two reference points to determine whether the timer has wrapped around a time period, and another method uses a delay interval or a timeout to determine whether or not the TSF timer is wrapped or unwrapped. Another method includes determining whether an absolute value of X?O is less than, or greater than or equal to maximum value M/2.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for dynamically selecting a communication channel between an access point (AP) and a plurality of stations (STAs) in an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN). The method includes the steps of: determining whether a new channel to be used by the plurality of STAs is needed; measuring the channel quality of a plurality of frequency channels by at least one of the plurality of STAs; reporting the quality of the plurality of frequency channels in terms of a received signal strength indication (RSSI), Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) busy periods and periodicity; and, selecting one of the candidate channels based on the channel quality report for use in communication between the AP and the plurality of STAs.

Abstract: A method and system for a network component (700) for determining when to provide services to power saving client devices (701) is disclosed. The method comprising the steps of receiving a requested servicing method (420) from the client device (701), determining an ability to accommodate (420, 510, 630) the requested servicing method, and providing an indication of the ability to accommodate (435, 450, 470) the requested servicing method to the client device. In one aspect of the invention the ability to accommodate is based on at least one factor selected from the group consisting of, the requested service method, a proposed schedule, current demand at the network component, and the current operating state of the network component (420, 510, 630).

Abstract: A system and method is provided that resolves a possible ambiguity in WLAN measurement reports by having a measuring entity include timer values in returned measurement reports. The time a measurement was requested to be performed and the actual time it was done by a measuring entity can be compared by the receiver to ensure that no ambiguities occurred.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for measuring medium activity patterns in wireless networks and deriving information about the radio environment from the measured medium activity/patterns. This invention is three-fold. First, it defines what to measure, including medium idle/busy patterns based on power detection, medium idle/busy pattern based on preamble detection, and medium idle/busy pattern based on virtual sensing. Second, it provides a mechanism for communicating the measurement request and report, as illustration for the case of IEEE 802.11. And last, it defines the information that can be derived given these measurements as discovery of: non-802 devices, 802.11e systems, 802.11e contention-based medium access priorities, 802.11e controlled medium access usage, 802.11b/g existence, and hidden stations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to specification of the start time for taking measurements in wireless local area networks (WLAN), in which the start time of measurements to be taken is included in a Measurement Start Time field of a Measurement Request Frame and the interpretation of the start time for a specific measured element is determined by a Mode field included in each Measurement Request Element field of the Measurement Request Frame. Optionally, the start time of a Measurement Request Frame is specified using a time synchronization function (TSF) timer value or part thereof in order to avoid ambiguities in interpretation of the start time reported.

Abstract: Dynamic frequency selection for an IEEE 802.11 basic service set network is enabled by a dynamic frequency selection (DFS) element within beacon and probe response frames defining a DFS owner, a DFS interval specifying the time until channel switch in beacon intervals, a DFS count specifying a time in beacon intervals until the DFS owner initiates selection of the next channel frequency from the supported channel set, and a DFS recovery interval specifying a time after the end of the DFS interval when recovery procedures are initiated if no channel switch information was received during that DFS interval. Channel switch information is presented in beacons following the end of the channel selection process, and within beacons during the DFS recovery interval.